Thom Hartmann played a clip this morning of FDR calling out the bad guys, the "economic royalists." It was right on. Why can't Obama just tell us all—on the TV, today—that the Republicans are threatening the middle class directly. They are saying they won't fund continued unemployment benefits unless I say it's okay to extend tax breaks for the super-rich. I say NO. Tax breaks have never led to job creation. They didn't during all of Bush's administration! They will overburden the already dangerous deficit they themselves constantly complain about. Unemployment benefits are necessary RIGHT NOW unless you want your family members and neighbors on the street! I WILL NOT BACK DOWN!

Instead it's, "Well, what could I do? They were really, really stubborn."

I don't have estate tax or whatever, I don't think. I pay a crazy amount of taxes every year just like any good middle class citizen.

I'd gladly pay more taxes if it meant people got access to healthcare. So I guess I don't understand why we can't just tell the rich that they need to pay their fair share of taxes. They might have to hold off on buying that yacht or vacation home or whatever else but they will still be rich.

_________________You are all a disgrace to vegans. Go f*ck yourselves, especially linanil.

Didn't he also have the choice to call the republicans out? Hold a news conference and tell the world in no uncertain terms that the GOP is trying to hold the middle class hostage? Why give in without a fight? Throw some punches, man!

Didn't he also have the choice to call the republicans out? Hold a news conference and tell the world in no uncertain terms that the GOP is trying to hold the middle class hostage? Why give in without a fight? Throw some punches, man!

I still remember hearing him make fun of a planned vegan grocery store on the radio. I wrote him an email. And here it is:

FootFace's email from 11/25/06 wrote:

Just what the world needs: another loudmouth who doesn't mind sharing with the world his ignorance about veganism.

As soon as you said, when you were talking about Paul McCartney's ex and her plans to open a chain of vegan grocery stores, "What are they going to have -- apples and tomatoes?" I knew we were all in for some fine blowhard action. You didn't disappoint.

You're right about one thing, though: veganism IS illogical, unless you count the good medical, ecological, and ethical sense it makes.

If veganism is something you'd like to talk about on the air, it might be good if you learned something about it.

I hate the American attitude about taxes overall too. How do we expect to have safe food, safe roads, healthy environment, educated population, etc. without paying taxes?! Sadly, I think most Americans just don't care about having that stuff...they'd rather have $10 more for their nasty Wal-Mart shopping binges. Barf-o.

I heard some interesting editorial on NPR by a British guy who said that the reason even broke asparagus Americans support tax cuts for the super rich is because of our ever present "american dream" that we can rise above our broke asparagi and become rich asparagi, so if we finally get rich we get to keep it all. He said in the UK, people are just more used to their classes, and even if there are more self made millionaires there now than there were in the past, there is more of a *feeling* of class stasis.

_________________Evolved a vascular system, so I went from bryophyte to lycophyte.